Support balanced simulated aerial toy



Nov. 22, 1955 P. P. GUTIERREZ SUPPORT BALANCED SIMULATED AERIAL TOY Filed May 31, 1952 INVEN'I'OR. fl 4 E 3 H Pefer R @uf/errez VBY ATTORNEY United States Patent 2,724,210 SUPPORT BALANCED SIMULATED AERIAL TOY Peter P. Gutierrez, San Jose, Calif.

Application May31, 1952, Serial No. 291,019

3 Claims. (Cl. 46-32) The present invention relates to improvements in a toy, although the principles involved may be of use in connection with other physical bodies.

More particularly, my invention has been developed principally as a suspension means for a toyairplane or other bodiesof similar shape adapted to float through the air in simulation of the flight of airplanes, birds, and

, the like.

The principal object of the invention is to provide a support for a body of the character described whereby the latter may be floated through the air on the point vertical position, and to pass through any number of different motions.

The preferred form of my invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, forming part of this specification inwhichz,

Figure 1 shows a plan view of a toy airplane embodying the principles of the present invention;

Figure 2, a front view of the same;

Figure 3, an enlarged fragmentary detail section, taken along line 33 of Figure 1, with the plane disposed horizontally;

Figure 4, a similar view with the plane disposed in substantially vertical position; and

Figure 5, a similar view with the plane disposed in a downwardly tilted position.

While I have shown only the preferred form of my invention, it should be understood that various changes or modifications may be made within the scope of the claims hereto attached, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Referring to the drawing in detail, the toy I of my invention may be of any desired shape, preferably resembling a toy airplane or a bird or insect in flight, and comprising a body 2 and a pair of wings 3. i

The body 2 is in the form of an elongated tube having a pointed forward end 4 and being squared off in the rear, as at 5. A pair of flaps 6 may be arranged at the rear portion.

The entire toy is preferably light in weight, and the wings 3 extend rearwardly beyond the body. The weight of the toy is distributed, either through inherent construction, or the provision of suitable weights in the rear ends of the wings, to bring the center of gravity a short distance back of the body and into the longitudinal central vertical plane of the body, as at 7.

A slotted member 8 in the form of a finger is made to project rearwardly from the bottom of the body and is formed with an elongated slot 9 lying in the vertical central plane of the body and being located so as to bring the center of gravity substantially into the center of the slot, the latter extending forwardly and rearwardly of the center of gravity approximately equal distances.

The slotted member is preferably made to present a rounded rear wall and rounded side walls for the slot, and its forward end, opposite the forward end of the slot, is formed with a slight curvature, as indicated at 10, for purposes hereinafter described.

The entire toy is supported by or suspended from the upper end of a pin 11, which has a head 12 at the bottom end and a tapered end 13. The diameter of the pin is larger than the width of the slot 9 and the taper of the pin is such that upon insertion into the slot from below, it extends approximately half-way through the slot, leaving a short projection 14 extending above the slot.

When the pin is inserted into the slot substantially midway the length of the latter, that is, at the center of gravity of the airplane, the latter will float horizontally on the taper of the pin, as shown in Figure 3.

When, from this position, the airplane is tilted downward, the slotted member will tilt on the taper of the pin until the extreme point of the pin strikes the rear wall of the slot, which will bring the airplane to the position shown in Figure 5.

When the airplane is tilted upward, the slotted member will tilt upward until the forward wall of the slot strikes the pin, which bring the airplane into the vertical position shown in Figure 4. In this connection, it should benoted that the curvature 10 in the slotted member allows the latter to assume a position approximately parallel to the pin, as shown.

In both of these tilting movements, and in any intermediate tilting movements, the body portion of the taper substantially retains, on account of frictional resistance, its position at the central portion of the slot, which is equivalent to the center of gravity of the airplane, and

the length the slot should be calculated so that, at the end of any tilting excursion, the tip of the pin strikes the front or rear walls of the slot respectively, and is stopped thereby, thus preventing the pin from sliding out of the slot.

In use, the player, holding the pin by its head, will insert the taper into the slot from below, approximately midway the length thereof, and raise the plane into the air, with the pin presented vertically. The plane will then float horizontally over the pin.

On a straight forward movement, with a steady hand, and in the absence of air currents, the plane will substantially hold its horizontal position. With a slight air current, or a slight tilting of the pin, the plane will gracefully sway and tilt and turn about the pin, giving the player amusement and developing his skill, and improving his knowledge of airplane movements.

By a quick jerk in the proper direction, the player may cause the plane to assume straight vertical position, or extremely inclined dipping position.

The player may, by taking a long sweep, cause the plane to line up with the pin when the latter is held in horizontal position, so that the pin actually chases the plane through the air, either horizontally or vertically, or at any desired angle.

As a matter of fact, the player, with a little skill and practice, may cause the plane to carry out any desired movements, as dipping, rising, straight flying, swaying, turning, and any combination of these movements, much to his amusement and his education in the general theories of flying.

While I have developed my invention principally as a toy, it stands to reason that the principles employed may be used for other purposes, as, for instance, for experi' mental work in the study of flight.

In the device shown, I place the center of gravity rearwardly of the body of the plane, principally as a feature :3 of attractiveness, to arouse the curiosity of the child and its natural sense of inquisitiveness; but it is apparent that the center of gravity may be shifted to other points, with {corresponding L-ch-anges initheslocation 'of the slotted member, without departing fromthe .spirit'of the invention.

the. properbalanc'ing of the plane about the center ofdgravity .-is obtained' by adding weights to (the ends of the :wings, :the weights may .be made in the form of torpedoes or rockets 115,-r any otherrsuitable form, to enhance the maneuverability of..the.-,p1ane.

claimt:

lnIn-a toyuofthe'character described, an elongated body "hav-in g .aipair :of wings projecting sidewise therefrom ithe tip .of the 'wings projecting rearwardly beyond the urearuend of the body-andthe wings and the body being melated to bring' the center of :gravity of the toy to la .I'p'oint fbehind thel body, a finger projecting rearwardly firorn the body, and tha ing-a longitudinal :slot piercing the samewertically with the center oflthe slot coinciding with the center of gravity and the slot extending forwardly and rearwardly of "the latter, aipin slidably cooperable witht'he finger for 'adjustably s pporting the toy, theipin ihavingza tapered end engagea'ble'in the slot for supporting .the'=finger on saidtaper and (extending upwardly beyond the slot, and thefin'ger having a downwardly dfiset portion near the body with the slot extendingintosaid' portion, :theoffset portion, the :slot and the upward extension of the pinrbeing relatively proportioned so that the main part of 'the fingertisarranged subs'tantially'parallel to the pin :when the top 0f the pin supports-the bodyaat 'a .point away ifrorn :itsoenter of gravity and bears on the end wall of the slot in the oil?- set portion.

2. Inga toy :of :the character .described, an elongated body rhaving a pair of wings projecting-sidewise therefrom,-th'e tips of the Wings projecting rearwardly beyond the rear rend of (the body and the 'wingsandvthe body beingrelatedzto brmg the center rof gravity of the toy to a pointbehind the body, a finger projecting :rearwardly from the :body and having a longitudinal slot piercing the same vertically with the center of the slot coinciding with the center or gravity and the slot extending forwardly and rearwardly of the latter, a pin slidably cooperable with the finger for adjustably supporting the toy, the pin having a tapered end engageable in the slot for supporting the finger on said taper and extending upwardly beyond the slot, and the length of the slot being such as compared with the upward extension of the pin that the end walls of the'slot serve asstop members for the point 'of the pin when the body is rocked about the center of gravity. v

3. In a toy of the character described, an elongated body having a pair of wings projecting sidewise therefrom, the tips of the 'wingsrprojecting rearwardly beyond the rear end of the body and the wings and the body being related to bring the center of gravity of the toy to a point behind the body, a finger projecting rearwardly from the body and having a longitudinal slot piercing the same vertically with the center of the slot coinciding with the center of gravity and the slotiextending forwardly and rearwardly of the latter, a'pin 'slidably cooperable with the finger for adjustably supporting the toy, the pin having'a tapered end engageable init'he slot for supporting-the finger on said taper and extendingupwardly beyond the slot, and the length of the slot being such as compared with the upward extension of the pin that both end walls of the slot serve as stop members 'for the point of the pin when the body vis rocked about the center of gravity, the finger havinga downwardly ofiset portion near thebody allowing the main portion of the finger to rock into aposition substantially parallel to the pin.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

